Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-01-29
SCHOOL INTERESTS NO. 10.

A man VINO INTENDS 10 Duliu q
house will choose a location and may
also himself furnish all the material
but he must engage archi-
tects to lay the foundation and rear
the superstructure. In doing so he
will contract with parties who under
stand their business, and upon whom
he can rely to give satisfaction. So
a community, desiring the lntellectu-
al elevation of their youth, furnish
every thing necessary for this object,
but they must have an intellectual
architect to rear the intellectual
strncture,-one every way qualified
to accomplish the object. This in
tellectual architect is the teacher.
l come now to name and discuss
the most essential qualifications re-
quisite in a teacher.
1. He must be equal to his position
in scholarship.
The master must know more than
his apprentice, or how can the latter
learn his trade. In like manner, the
teacher must not only know more
than his pupils, but be every way
competent for the position he holds
and the work required in that
position. He must be a person thor
oughly and practically trained Tor
the profession,-one who has had the
drill of an apprentice, the varied
Of a journeyman, and the
capabilities of master.
In our day it is not enough, as of
old, to be able to spell, read, write and
cipher, and mechanically and parrot
like parse little. Much more is es.
sential in a teacher. Too long have
these responsible places oftrust been
held and desecrated by unworthy
occupants. Too many in past times
land unfortunately to some extent
at this late day. have found their
way into the schoOl-room, not with
an honorable motive to benefit the
community and the public by doing
good to those under their care, but
because they can makes little money
for dress or pleasure, and because
they prefer warm school room to
cold axe-handle. Intent upon seek
ing a soft place, they lose sight of
the fact that the soft place is under
their hat.
2. He must be interested IN the aoOrE.
Not only should teacher be thor
ough In all the branches called upon
to teach, but his interest i the work
must be seen and felt in his efforts
to develop and advance the pupils
under his instruction. His heart
must be enlisted in the work.
There is vast difference between
keeping and teaching school. An
unqualified person may keep school
and humbug the patrons for awhile,
but his shallowness will soon come to
surface, but then he loses the respect
of his pupils and gains the execration
of the community. The word teach
implies not only knowledge and in.
tellectual capacity, but tact and
ability to interest the pupil and en-
able him to drink in the instructions
made level to his comprehension by
the teacher. A teacher may take a
scholar entirely through arithmetic
and yet that scholar may not be able
to give why and wherefore for one
tenth of the principles involved, and
mainly because the teacher is either
incompetent or Indifferent.
The physician has the care of the
body the theologian the soul; the
teacher the mind. Who that is dan
gerously ill will send for quack :?
Who that wishes instruction pertain
ing to the SOUPS salvation will invite
a clerical mountebank ? And yet
men for the sake of economy, will
sometimes employ an ignoramus to
be the teacher of their children. 1t
is a mistaken economy and de-
structive policy to employ half hands
at half pay. [ pity the children
where this state of things exists.
3. HIS interest must run into a arell
regulated enthusiasm.
The mere declaimer, whatever his
skill may be in that direction; and
however intent he may he to please
his audience, nevertheless lacks that
feeling which must enter into his
performance to convince and per-
suade. He is formal and consequent
iy unimpressive. Bot the true ora
tor who feels the gravity of his sub
ject and position, and whose heart
gl0ws with ardor to accomplish his
object, becomes enthusiastic without
even an effort to be so, and in his
enthusiasm will not fail to carry his
audience with him.
So with the teacher, a formal,
mechanical routine CT school-work
does not accomplish the end. A well
regulated and judiclous enthusiasm
is essential, not an over effusion by
jumps and starts, but uniform and
constant. 1t is not a creation of the
imagination and spasmodic, but
something that lasts year in and
year out. 1t rejoices in success. 1t
seeks the best, and treats pupils as a
wise physician does the pulse, to
determine not merely the number of
beats per minute, but patiently the
quality thereof. 1t must be an en-
thusiasm that will infuse itself into
the minds of the pupils to be repro
duced there with unmistakable re-
suits. VIM. GERHARDT.
Wonderful Cures.
w. d. Howl & Co. Wholesale and Re-